nate_1979

I had a very high level of fear for my first 17 jumps, I remember practically shaking and asking myself why the hell do I keep putting myself through this. I also remember jump 18 becoming easier for some reason. That's not to say that I've not second guessed jumping a couple other times in the plane, heck around jump 100 I actually rode the plane down once because I just wasn't feeling it, but now I just consider what I experience a healthy amount of fear that keeps my on my toes. That bit of fear I still have is what keeps me practicing my EPs, religiously making it my business what the others around me are doing, triple checking my gear, not allowing myself to become complacent. As others have said, it's really up to you to decide if it is worth it, but I think you are definitely not alone here and many find that they can push through the fear. For me, the amazing people I was able to hang out with who also encouraged and mentored me made what I was doing worth it. No matter what you decide, have fun!

They are a blast... But the landing somewhere you have no clue about is a real risk. On my jump the landing area we had picked from above had a mess of power lines in it that I did not notice until I was beyond being able to choose an ideal secondary landing spot, I wound up in some small trees / large bushes, took a little bit to untangle my canopy from that mess, but it was better than the alternative. I would absolutely do it again.

Can't say I've ever planned to throw my handles, it's just what has happened on both of my cut aways. Maybe next time will be different.

I would guess that a lot of that has to do with next big cost of sticking with the sport... Gear.

Look at the manufactures canopy sizing guidelines when it comes to putting a larger canopy into a container... For example, I look at my containers chart, for the most part the maximum sized canopies are all 190s, but there are a couple 210 canopies that will work such as the low pack volume PD Pulse 210.

Almost 40 years! I look forward to hearing about your first jump back when you get back up there! I’m returning from 14 years away, first jump back should be this weekend, but my 14 years seems like such a small period of time now lol.

Of course its IMPOSSIBLE to shut everything down for 2 weeks. Some people HAVE to go places, nurses, long term care facilities, hospitals, people who make sure you get power to keep that food that you go to the store cold, people in the food chain, people who keep your city water up and running, etc etc... The list goes on and on. Your 100% shutdown could never happen and even suggesting that it could be possible even if everyone wanted to do it and agreed to it is simply out of touch with reality.

You do understand why we can't keep everything shutdown right? The whole economy thing, people having jobs, needing to make a living, food on the table, etc etc? Even those "unnecessary" things provide someone's job. Or do you honestly think that keeping everything shutdown for a year is completely ok and doable?

The goal of flattening the curve was never to stay shutdown until the threat goes away, that's simply not a realistic goal at this point. It was to help hospitals be able to deal with the influx of patients. We did that, it's time to open things back up now.

Not a TI but this right here is a major risk factor that YOU need to take into consideration. I was talking with some people about the risks that I'm willing to take and I mentioned this very factor. I am choosing to let my guard down some while I still take what I consider to be reasonable precautions for MY situation. Because I am choosing to let my guard down some, and because I understand that I am increasing the risk that I could carry the virus, I am also paying special attention to who I am around. I am actively avoiding anyone I know who is in a higher risk category, I also avoid those who I know are wanting to avoid risk more than I am out of respect regardless of what their reasoning is. I am not visiting my older relatives. I live alone, I don't have anyone who is high risk depending on me, nor do I have the need to see anyone in those categories in person. If your situation is different, act accordingly.

I used to ask myself that all the time... After a couple years I wound up hanging it up. 14 years later I’m picking it back up because I never stopped missing it. I still can’t explain why. I’m happy when I jump, I’m happy when I hang out at the DZ, I love the people I jump(ed) with, I love the rush, and I’ve never found anything else quite like it.

Just went through all the videos, I’ll still be doing an in person course when I go back this year (I’ve been away for a long time) but I thought it was really good. It’s a nice thing for them to offer.

Thanks! I needed to spend some money.

Curious, Who did you get this suit from?

BSBD Chris, the reserves you packed me saved my life more than once, and I was lucky enough to get to jump with you multiple times when I was still in the sport --- I am very sad hearing this news, and you will be missed. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

Actually, I don't see the connection... Sorry. I'm laughing at a parody of Truther sites that some of which are just off the charts --- You are refering to the war ... I see a difference personally. But thanks for the attempted guilt trip. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

I have nothing constructive to say, but great thread FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

I realize that you all think that Bldg 7 was some kind of plan, and the way it falls I can see your argument --- But the trade centers failing makes sense --- The fire retardant material on the steel would have been severely damaged by the impact, structure gets weak, building fails, falls on it self each floor crushing the one below (which is what we see in the videos) vs. bldg 7 that appears to have collapsed from the bottom --- It seems to me, in my opinion after reviewing the information available and listening to arguements on both sides (not a noob btw) that the collapse of the twin towers happened because of an impact with a large plane. Bldg 7, who knows... I question the events in DC that day more than any other events, and I don't think that we have been told the whole story, and I'm not sure that we ever will be --- This is just one part of the arguement that seems very silly to me, trying to debunk a valid reason for two very large buildings to collapse. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

I think that the only explosive required to take down a building would be the "300,000 pound aircraft full of fuel impacting at 450mph" ... The building was designed to handle plane strikes, but I don't think something like that was ever thought of. Since everyone knew what took the building down (the "300,000 pound aircraft full of fuel impacting at 450mph") and people saw that this "300,000 pound aircraft full of fuel" hit the building at 450mph, and even recorded it with much more detail than the gov't was apparently able to record the impact in DC with mounted cameras, they may not have been looking for the "bomb" that caused the building to fail because the cause was pretty evident. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

That's not cool. Just because the war was BS based upon a lie, started by our 6th worst president of all times, doesn't mean it's cool to go there. ALL war vets are golden, they're the best we have. Throw in a Purple Heart and they're walking on water. I realize this thread is meant in insense, but this thread needs to go bye-bye. Agreed. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

Ok, but where is the damage from the plane? And if the building was so strong that the wings / engines did not enter the building, where are those? Like I said, this is just the one thing that does not add up, no matter how hard I try to make it make sense. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

While I dismiss many of the truther theries, there is one thing that really stands out with me... First let me start off by saying that from what I can see, the collapse of the WTC towers makes sense... The one thing that really gets me is the hit in DC --- that does not add up... I would love to hear what people have to say about this, I look at it with an open mind, but the minimal amount of damage prior to the collapse in DC does not look near large enough for a airliner to have hit it --- The pictures and video do not add up. The other thing that is so odd is that the most secure building in the US which has cameras all over the place some how only has footage in still frame photo format at very slow frame rates from one camera near a guard shack??? Conveniently, it only shows the building, and then an explosion --- When they are spraying foam on the building before collapse there is no sign of damage, not even a broken window, where the wings and tail would have impacted?? Please somebody explain this to me. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

No, they are not. UC clinics are not required to treat uninsured, or even to accept state insurance or Medicare, so every service they provide is paid for. This is not the case for ERs. Writing more slowly. The costs of taking care of your bullshit sore throat is the same at the urgent care clinic (whether it is part of the hospital or separate) and at the ER are the same. Doctors and nurses have similar salaries (you're not getting the top surgeon in the ER - they have the 'regular' guy for the BS stuff). Drugs, tests, and the paperpushers all run about the same. The ER costs more because if it can, and if they didn't charge more they would be flooded with BS and have a harder time taking care of the real emergencies. Having everyone insured should allow for better access to emergency care, though there would still be lots of people with sore throats showing up. But in terms of costs, they would increase. The cost to treat doesn't change, and there would be more office visits by those who previously didn't have coverage. Overall health is likely to increase, but not the costs. You've written a number of times that only those making millions would see any cost increases. It's worth noting that the AMT was written to apply to only a few dozen families. Now it applies to millions of households, mostly in higher income/higher cost of living states to people who hardly qualify as tax dodging wealthy. When the costs keep going up, and the debt picture worsens, far more people will be paying more taxes to keep this turkey going. It would be much better to tackle the cost picture right now rather than add trillions more in debt. The costs are NOT the same. The overhead costs of a hospital and ER is MUCH higher than that of an urgent care clinic. Hospital ERs have to meet more standards, have to be open 24x7 where urgent care clinics are open less hours, don't get payed for everyone that walks through the door, have better equipment, etc. etc. etc. etc. Believe it or not, some ERs are not that profitable, and a case of someone coming in when CTs / MRIs / X-Rays are required (again with equipment that is not cheap to run) and no payment comes in has to be recovered in some way. UC again does not have this problem. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

That would be the insurance that has roughly *60%* the denied claims as that OTHER gov't run insurance, Medicare? The insurance that is solvent instead of on the verge of bankruptcy like that OTHER gov't run insurance, Medicare? The insurance that ISN'T going to cost American taxpayers 2.5 TRILLION dollars? Ohh, believe me --- Denied claims are not the only issue... I work in a hospital and I see people get turned away all the time because they have Medicare and the hospital actually LOOSES money if they accept the rates that medicare will pay for many procedures... As in, it costs the hospital MORE MONEY to do the procedure than they will recieve from this fine gov't run healthcare plan. Those on Medicare do have the option to recieve lesser procedures though. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

Pertains to larger corps and may be hacked. I suppose if you consider a company with 20 employees that average $25k a year in pay a "larger corp", your right. I consider that a small business. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.